Description:

HAND-DRAWN BATTLE MAP AND LETTER ILLUSTRATING DANVILLE AMBROSE'S CAPTURE
A great pair of war-date letters, totaling 10pp. 8vo., with hand drawn pencil map, written by Pvt. Oren J. Stilson, Co. I, 3rd New Cavalry relating how Ambrose was captured. In part: "...[City Point, [Va.], May 19, 1864]...we...lay near Portsmouth, Va. under marching orders...have been engaged in two of the most extensive raids...on the 14th inst. in an engagement with the enemy at Chula Station on the Richmond and Danville R. R. Ambrose was so unfortunate as to fall into their hands as a prisoner of war. I was not with him...the pencil sketch...is as accurate as I can draw...we advanced upon the road in front (a) crossing the track and advancing with out the head of our column as far as (b)...the object of our general was to destroy the station and then retreat on the road (c) without engaging the enemy...he ordered our force...to proceed up the track...and merely hold a position while he destroyed the station. But through some blunder among the colonels we attacked them and drove them to the Bridge where the engagement became very hot...we were held in check...we lost a number of men...the general...ordered the retreat. I was upon the extreme left...but Boyce with part of our company and Co. E were upon the track...in front of the Bridge. The rebels hearing the order to retreat supposed their victory...and dashed out of the works on both sides of the bridge...several of our boys barely escaped...some lost their lives...he [Ambrose] done the best thing in not trying to escape...for the enemy held their fire...and only fired on those that run...when last seen he had thrown off his belt and was completely in their power...[Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 4, 1864]...the reg't. has moved to the front...we are lying in...the fortifications that Beauregard has stormed so many times...our pickets are attacked every night...[Ambrose's] horse was shot (as I forgot to tell you) on the first raid and the one he was riding on the last was a captured horse. His saddle and blanket has been turned into the Quartermaster...". With stamped transmittal covers. Twenty-year-old Oren joined the 3rd just three days after Ambrose, and clearly the two were friends. Oren served until the end of the war and finished his enlistment in the 1st New York Mounted Rifles. Very good.

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June 3, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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